The Republican journal., 1887-07-07
A Runaway Train.


Il hoy, the iiftce,-ycar-ol'l son Of Il locomotive
engineer, who had often ridden with his father
and 'kncw the engine pooty WELL Indeed the
engineer had frequently let the boy "driyc" on
Il long stretch of straight track.
One night he left Dave in charge Of the en-
usual There came up Il furious wind; and
after little, some cars shot by without any en-
"inc. The wiill had started them. Boy, think
quick! Down grade! The Lightning Express
is 10 come that say!
Nobody near. No telegraph WIRE The trains
are headed together. There is less than an
hour to catch those runaway ears anl pull them
ont of the way. No time for hesitation. lie
springs to the lever, picks up speed and tears
away with grade and wind and steam like il
WhlZZlh@ arrow.
There are miles ata,i. The rushing minutes
are full Of sudden comprehension. IL" almost
sees through the dark, lcmpcstious night.
What set him II Ing toward this plunge was
thought of the Lighthin. Express. Now dan
ger takes hold of him. What If he is just too
late! The runaway train is in sight on steam! !
No. on again! Let the >tury-tcer tell the rest.
He must slow up, but do it 50 nicely that, :,
when he does come up with them. there shall
be the least possible shock; for here is the
to help him 'rouple.' He must be, for the
nonce, both engineer and ,witchman. lie had
not thought what Il Formidable job this was llli-
til it stared him in the face.
ON he flew revolving. the situation in his head
and adjusting his engine with the incest care
until he was upon the very heels Of the run
away; then. with many mi>"ivn@>. slipped out
OF the engine house and rraW lcd along he side
Of the locomotive. and down nn the ''roW -ratr!i-
err
Here. >czn@ the long coupler in one hand
and holding on with the other. he stood watch
ing with hreathle>s interest the approaching
collision. The suspense was ayoniziny. The
situation was perlou>. \ gust of wind might
sweep him from his place, ne might be shaken
of or chruSheI.
He WAS almost panir->trickcn. \ doZeE times
he was at the point OF turning back TO his
startled ears the air was full of unranny sounds
the sweep of another tornado. the rush of
The "Lightnn@" just ahead. But he had in him
the stun Which heroes are made of. The hero.
remember. is not he who is ill>en>iblc to danger.
but rather he who feels AND realizes. but yet
oNtrcolnrS ii.
The "Mrtcor drew nearer and nearer the
flying train Dave had used excellent judy
ment in regulating lis speed; for at length it
came up with the rear eur with scarcely Il shock
SO that Dave could reach over and drop in the
pin.
Then camlerinS back into the cngnehou>e
with trembling eayernc>> he seized the 'throt-
tie To his amazcment the train did not stop.
Instead of the "Metcor'>" stopping the rum
away. the runaway dragged the Meteor"
aon" in its hca,llong flight. Dave was horror
struck. lie had thought the train would stop
at once. lie had not calculated what Il trcmcn-
d"u> impetus all those heavy ears had acunir-
cd.
Now, then, the tll>sc! The train began to
backward pull. Slowly they got under way;
but the wind and upgrade were against them.
Dave beg.iii 1" get anxious. ''rhc Light
ming" must be due by this time. He kept \ sharp
lookout behind and whi>tled like mad around
the curves. At length he entered upon the
clear TO Blankton Dave breathei frcer. 1t WAS
the home c->tretcl--l good ten-nle run.
Hardly had he congratulated himself, when
far bchind-bmt Enthusiastically he heard the
scream of the 'Lghtning'S' whistle. lie was
going already ut his topmost speed. lie was
making not more than thirty-iNc miles an
hour, while the "Liyhtning'' was coming on ut
the rate of sixty. With horror he heard it
gaining on him; the next whistle was nearer,
and at length when he had made only two
thirds the distance the CLEAN of its headlight
came shooting round Il wooded curve in his
rear.
Ont of the very despair Of the moment Dave
gathered ralmncs>. lie turned his back on the
pursuing train, he east no look behind. he shut
his ears to its on-tomin" roar; looked straight
.tHcu, hcIl HIS ~ vi ttlc tTick, HIS Hil'i vi
his duty.
lie is almost tllcre-hc is there, he dashcs
past the station-housc, across the switch and
down AT last upon the side track.
1t is all right. Jake and Jim are there.
They have thrown the switch back in time ;
and the ''L%htning'' goes whZZinS and Shrek
| in" past.
When Jake jumped aboard the ''Mrteor." his
son tainted dead away in his arms.
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